Christmas Lights
by wickedsingularity
Summary: [x-mas stories 2017 #7, drabble] For once, all Avengers will be home for Christmas. But then the power goes out…


_wickedsingularity's Christmas Stories 2017_

* * *

"Oh my god, so pretty!" I exclaimed to no one in particular. It was Christmas Eve and I was out trying to find one last present. Honestly, all my shopping was done, but I just wanted to see if I could find one more thing for Steve. He, Natasha and Sam would be coming home from this year's last mission in a few hours, and I just wanted Steve to have something extra because I loved him so much and was so proud of him.

But as usual, I was distracted by shiny things. This was a string of lights, three feet long, with beautiful shining golden stars. I didn't even hesitate – I grabbed two sets and put them in my basket. Then, predictably, I looked around for more.

When I walked out of the mall an hour later, I had no present for Steve, but a total of ten new strings of light, one snow globe light, and a shit load of fresh batteries. And if I was going to get them up and get myself ready in time for the dinner Wanda and Rhodey were making, I needed to go home. I would just have to find some other way to show Steve how much I appreciated him. Maybe a more... natural way. He'd probably like that better anyway.

* * *

By the time I got out of the shower, the entire tower was smelling mouth-watering. I could make out turkey, glazed ham and brownies, but I knew there was so much more.

I dried up and walked out into the bedroom to figure out what I was going to wear. That's when the door opened and I heard Steve's familiar steps walk inside, kick off his boots and pad across the living room floor.

"Doll? Are you home?"

"In here, Captain!" I called out, pulling on some underwear.

The door to the bedroom opened and there was a groan from Steve. "I love coming home and finding you in nothing but a pair of flimsy panties." He immediately walked over to me and attempted to wrap his arms around me.

I dodged him easily. "You're filthy, Steven Grant! I just got out of the shower." As he stood there pouting, I looked closer at him. His hair was wet and windswept, his suit was also soaked and covered in mud. "What on earth have you been doing?"

"There's a storm coming," he explained and began peeling off his stealth suit. "We just left it, but it has been following us home. It'll hit within an hour."

"Oh no... I don't want rain and wind for Christmas. I was just coming to terms with not getting a white Christmas. But a stormy one..."

"I know, doll. But you've hung up so many Christmas lights you can't see what kind of weather is outside anyway."

"Oh, shut up and go shower, Rogers." I blew him a raspberry.

He blew me a kiss. "Love you too, doll."

As I was picking out my outfit, I could hear that Steve was right. There was a faint rumbling in the distance. I went to turn on the TV and found the weather channel. Yep, there it was. Predicted to hit New York in thirty to forty minutes.

"How does it look?" Steve walked out of the bedroom, a towel around his hips and another across his shoulders.

"They don't think it'll be too bad, but they're recommending people secure loose things outside, and then stay inside."

"Nothing we can do right now. Dinner in half an hour?"

"Yep, let's finish getting ready. I need you to help me zip up."

* * *

Exactly thirty minutes later, Steve and I headed for the communal area and was instantly hit in the face with the full force of the delicious smells that had wafted through the building all day.

"Hope you're hungry!" Wanda said, hovering the turkey over to the table, grinning.

"Everything looks so good!" Steve complimented, breathing deeply.

It wasn't often the entire team was able to get together like this, but this year we got lucky. Dressed in their best, Natasha, Clint, Tony, Vision, Rhodey, Sam and Maria were sitting or standing around the room, chatting.

"The power is going to go out," Vision said wisely, interrupting the chatter from his spot by the window, looking out at the storm that was now raging.

"Don't be such a Grinch, Vis!" Wanda said.

"Any minute now," he added.

"Let's sit down and eat," Maria suggested. "I'm starving."

Everyone agreed and began gathering around the table. Tony pulled out his chair first, and just as he did, everything went dark, except for the two flickering red candles on the table.

"Seriously?! The power is out?"

"I told you, Clint," Vision said.

"Yes, but I chose not to believe you."

"Do we have any more candles?" Wanda asked.

"Not enough to light up this room," Tony replied. "F.R.I.D.A.Y.! Backup power, any minute now."

" _My apologies, Mr Stark. Backup power is not operational at this time._ "

"Why?"

" _Uncertain, sir. I will troubleshoot._ "

There was a collective groan through the room. But then I raised my hand, not sure if they could see it in the faint candlelight. "Uhm, we have lights," I said a bit sheepishly. Steve chuckled next to me.

"How do you have lights?" Tony asked.

"I think it's better to show you."

I reached for my phone, turned on the flashlight and guided the way to mine and Steve's apartment. Once there, I leaned down and was relieved to find that there was enough power to run the safety systems as my eye was scanned and the door clicked open.

"Holy shit."

"Wow."

"How many Christmas lights does one person need?"

"Are you for real?"

Everyone walked inside and gazed around at the brightly lit room. I had strings of lights around the windows, on the tables and all other surfaces, around plants and pictures, down the walls, across the mouldings... Simply everywhere. There were also trees, Santas, snow globes and a whole bunch of other holiday-themed decorations with lights inside them. Some of them were out though, the ones that were plugged in. But most of them was battery powered and shone brightly in various colours and shapes.

"Why don't we take them down and place them around the dinner table?" I suggested. "There's more than enough to light up the room so we can see what we eat. And I have enough spare batteries."

There wasn't even a reply, but everyone began to pull down strings of lights and pick up decorations and carried them into the communal area. All too quickly, the apartment was dark, but the dinner table and area around was festive and colourful.

"Thank you." Rhodey came over and gave me a half hug as I was surveying the room.

"Just help me get enough of it back later so I can find the bed tonight, if the power is still out."

With the wind howling around the building and rain splattering on the windows, we sat down around the table and tucked into the food Wanda and Rhodey has slaved with all day, the spirit a lot higher than before the power went out.


End file.
